


We're All Afraid of the Dark Sometimes

by subtlesinner



Category: Pillars of Eternity
Genre: Drabble, F/M, Fluff, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Mild Spoilers?, kind of, possibly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-17
Updated: 2018-05-17
Packaged: 2019-05-08 02:05:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14684166
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/subtlesinner/pseuds/subtlesinner
Summary: Tanithil woke with a gasp, sweat and chill warring over her as her senses swam with the intensity of the dream she’d just had. The nightmare had come out of nowhere, same as all the others; standing in the world in-between, The Pallid Knight’s chill breath prickling at the back of her neck as she somehow knew Eothas was out there somewhere, looming and unstoppable, and still holding something that belonged to her... Then the blackness of death all over again, cold choking her and swallowing her whole.Waking had offered her little reprieve, as Tanithil sat up in bed, trembling violently, like a dry leaf, helplessly skittering in an autumn breeze. The sudden movement woke Serafen from where he’d fallen asleep next to her earlier in the evening, instantly alert and ready for a fight. His guard dropped the moment he caught sight of the Watcher, shaking and sobbing as she rocked in place with her head in her hands. It was a troubling image of her he’d never seen before.





	We're All Afraid of the Dark Sometimes

Tanithil woke with a gasp, sweat and chill warring over her as her senses swam with the intensity of the dream she’d just had. The nightmare had come out of nowhere, same as all the others; _standing in the world in-between, The Pallid Knight’s chill breath prickling at the back of her neck as she somehow knew Eothas was out there somewhere, looming and unstoppable, and still holding something that belonged to her... Then the blackness of death all over again, cold choking her and swallowing her whole._

Waking had offered her little reprieve, as Tanithil sat up in bed, trembling violently, like a dry leaf, helplessly skittering in an autumn breeze. The sudden movement woke Serafen from where he’d fallen asleep next to her earlier in the evening, instantly alert and ready for a fight. His guard dropped the moment he caught sight of the Watcher, shaking and sobbing as she rocked in place with her head in her hands. It was a troubling image of her he’d never seen before.

In the months they’d now been traveling together, he had seen the Watcher be everything from confident and sexy, to sly and cunning, to downright terrifying when she decided to display her true abilities, but never once had Serafen thought of her as someone who needed to be protected. In this moment, for the first time, he saw her for what she truly was beneath all the titles and rumors - a young woman, far younger than he’d truly realized before, who was far more vulnerable than she ever let on. She looked terrified of and overwhelmed by the task laid out before her by fate, and who was he to blame her?

“Shhh,” Serafen moved closer to her, drawing one arm around her bare shoulders to pull her into his chest. She allowed herself to be lead without a word, nestling her tear-streaked cheeks into the soft blue fur of his neck, sobbing as her body continued to betray her, shoulders quaking against her will, “Easy now, I be right here.” He ran a soft blue hand over her hair, neck, and back trying to comfort her as she continued to shudder against his chest, twisting his insides terribly. “I’m not goin’ nowhere. Not right now.”

“Serafen-” The Watcher started, her voice breaking into another wracked sob at his name, she couldn’t find the words to describe the fear she was feeling, and even if she did, _would he even understand? Could he understand?_

Without trying to, the Watcher’s subconscious leeched out toward Serafen like winding tendrils as he held her close, the darkness rippling out over the Cypher like a menacingly chill wave. He did his best not to intrude on her thoughts, but it didn’t stop him from feeling the echoed whispers of the Pallid Knight at the back of her mind, and the cold threat of looming death that hung over her heavily like a shroud. The mere incidental contact with it made him set his jaw to aching, but he continued rubbing small circles into her bare skin without faltering, refusing to shy away from her in a moment when she so clearly needed an anchor.

“Aye, Captain,” He settled his cheek against the top of her head, breathing deeply of the salt brine scent that intermingled with the Wood Elf’s soft red-black hair as her trembling slowly began to lessen at his ministrations. “But you be safe for the moment here with me.”

“I don’t want to die again.” When she finally spoke, Tanithil’s voice was so quiet Serafen barely heard the words over the ambient sounds of the ship in the night, even with her face pressed into his neck so close to his ear.

“I’m sorry? I didn’t catch that.” Serafen tried, hoping he hadn’t just heard her say what she had. _Again. Meaning it had happened before._ The thought sent another shiver down his spine. He had always known she was indebted to the god of death, but inherently, he’d thought that had meant she’d somehow been spared by their deal. To have already gone through the process of dying only to be returned, fully conscious through it all... Serafen’s hands stilled as he thought about it, only realizing it when he heard an unmistakable whimper from the Watcher.

“I’m so afraid.” Tanithil spoke again, only a little louder so that he could hear her clearly. “What if I fail her and she takes me away? I don’t want to go back to that horrible place-”

Serafen heard the fear and panic in her voice, and without wanting to, he was instantly transported back to his youth; escaping slavery so young, he’d had the same horrific thoughts she was having now about his childhood captors. Those years were long behind him now, but the memories still made him feel ill if he scratched too deep below the surface. Serafen pushed the thoughts away with disgust.

“Hush now, lass.” He finally managed to force out the words, voice gone rough with the barely hidden emotion. “Can’t fall into thinkin’ like that. It’ll only lead you places you don’t want to go.” Pausing for a moment, Serafen hesitated before adding, “You know I’d never impose on you, without your askin’... But I may be able t’help, if you want.” It was Tanithil’s turn to hesitate this time, sniffling as she slowly pulled away from the warmth of the now-damp fur on his neck, far enough away to look him in the eyes seriously.

There were things she didn’t understand about Cyphers, things she’d seen him do to their enemies that made her both fear and respect what a truly gifted Cypher Serafen was. The majority of the things she could recall at the moment were terrifying, but still she trusted him, and if he said he could help her, she knew he meant well. Slowly, she nodded, not looking away from his gold-yellow eyes as she asked with a wavering voice,

“If I said yes, what could you do?” The question cracked a smile through the seriousness on Serafen’s face, and he slowly brought a hand to Tanithil’s face, his thumb tracing the curve of her cheek up to the side of her temple. As he did so, he willed feelings of warmth and calm to flow through him to cover her, muttering words Tanithil could not understand; he could see her tension loosening, little by little, as the magic poured from him, and with a heavy sigh, the Watcher’s eyelids began to flutter and droop with exhaustion.

“You should get some sleep now, Captain.” Serafen slowly lowered his hand again, shifting out of her bed, he moved to retrieve his clothes from wherever they’d fallen on the floor so many hours before.

“Serafen, please-” Tanithil could hear him fumbling around in the darkness of her cabin in the night, “I know you aren’t a fan of it, but... Do you think you could stay with me for tonight? I- I don’t want to be alone.” She sounded embarrassed as she asked it, afraid of sending the Orlan running at her question.

“If you’re askin’?” Serafen looked at her from where he stood, trousers still held awkwardly in one hand. “I suppose I could make an exception.” Tanithil sank back into the mattress with relief as he dropped the trousers back to the floor, then climbed back into the bed with her, trying not to smile as the Captain nestled in close.

“Thank you, Serafen. Really.”

“For you,” Serafen pressed a gentle kiss to the side of her head, “You need only ask.”


End file.
